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Thursday, January 8, 2026
TopicRevdi

Topic: Revdi

BJP to middle class: Was nice to have your support at the beginning. Now we don’t need you

If a government knows how to accommodate the fat cats and has worked out how to win the votes of the poor with direct transfers, then it doesn’t need the middle class

Maharashtra, Jharkhand results show freebie strategy works. How this may impact states’ finances

While economists warn politicians against making excessive promises, they acknowledge the value of welfare schemes—provided states remain within their financial limits.

Cash, cylinders, loan waivers: Congress sops for Maharashtra just days after Kharge’s freebie caution

New Delhi: A direct cash benefit of up to Rs 3,000 for women, six cylinders per household at a subsidised rate, unemployment allowance of...

Very bad quality data in India, Consumer Survey 2017-18 was worst, says economist Surjit Bhalla

On latest episode of ThePrint Off The Cuff, former IMF executive director asserts that lack of important indices such as Census & Consumer Survey has resulted in India lagging behind in data.

Revdi culture & ‘selective media coverage’ of Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation

The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

Electricity, scooters, laptops — Rajasthan voters debate ‘freebies’ as they head to polling booths

Both incumbent Congress & its main rival BJP are offering host of freebies. Some voters have welcomed the move, others say it is only aimed at elections.

Indian freebies are working. But it’s not reducing poverty, only making people spend less

Subsidies are here to stay. Worryingly, subsidy expenditure will likely increase as Indian politicians try to meet a wider set of aspirations through more diverse freebies.

Freebie culture may garner electoral triumphs, but India can hardly sustain resulting public debt

Next round of state elections will see more welfare promises. However, these freebies may be offered at the cost of investment in infrastructure required for a modernising economy.

Is Gehlot destroying Rajasthan’s economy through freebies? Data shows this isn’t the case

Rajasthan’s finances show its revenue is relatively strong & it is becoming more independent of the Centre. Prioritising social sector over capex is not necessarily bad, say experts.

On Camera

Why Pinarayi Vijayan is going soft on an Ezhava leader’s anti-Muslim hate speech

Pinarayi Vijayan once called Vellappally Natesan, the general secretary of SNDP Yogam, Kerala’s Pravin Togadia. Now he is giving his hate speech a free pass.

500% tariffs ahead for India? Trump’s lined up a big bad Bill for countries buying Russian oil

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says bill will be 'well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent'.

2025: Pakistan’s deadliest year in over a decade

Islamabad-based think-tank PICSS's new report says Pakistan saw 'pronounced escalation' in violence last year, with 3,413 conflict-related deaths compared to 1,950 in previous year.

A year-end Mea Culpa in National Interest—The Army-Islam combo doesn’t kill democracy

Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.